Cutting Method to Prevent Interlocking of Adjacent Panels

ABSTRACT

A method for removing material between the panels of a foldable blank ( 100 ), includes the steps of: separating at least a portion of the blank with a contoured line ( 25 ) to define a first panel ( 15 ) and a second panel ( 20 ), terminating the contoured line at a vertex (V), selecting one of the first and second panels as a trimmed panel ( 15 ) from which material is to be removed, defining a first line (R) that includes a pair of first and second points (P 1 , P 2 ) on an edge of the trimmed panel, and removing a portion (A) of the trimmed panel defined by the first line and a section of the edge lying between the first and second points.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to article carriers and, morespecifically, to a method for removing material from an article carrierblank to prevent interlocking of adjacent panels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Certain article carrier blanks may have a handle panel that is separatedfrom a respective side panel, and sometimes one or more respective endpanels, by a contoured cut line. When the article carrier blank isfolded or otherwise assembled, the handle panel and the side panel tendto pivotally rotate or otherwise displace from an aligned position. Ifthe pivotal rotation or displacement causes the handle panel edge to atleast partially overlap the side panel edge, the side panel may becometrapped as the handle panel is assembled to form the handle of thearticle carrier. If the side panel is trapped under the handle panel,one or both panels may be damaged as the side panel is pulled from thehandle panel to erect the article carrier.

In most instances, the handle panel and the side panel of an articlecarrier blank do not risk overlap if the cut line between the panels issubstantially straight. Accordingly, article carrier blanks havegenerally exhibited straight or nearly straight cut lines between thehandle panel and the side panel to eliminate or limit overlap betweenthe panels, which causes the erected article carriers to have a sidewall with a top edge that is substantially straight. However, acontoured top edge of an article carrier is desired so that the top edgeof the article carrier may provide a more aesthetic appearance, orincorporate trade dress, or provide varying heights of support for thearticles.

Factors that affect how two panels overlap include the amount of pivotalrotation that is allowed, the amount of displacement created by theamount of pivotal rotation, and the contour of the cut line between thetwo panels. A certain group of article carrier blanks allows asignificant amount of pivotal rotation between two panels. In thisgroup, the handle panel is connected to the blank along only one sectionof its edge and the edge is formed, at least partially, by a cut linethat separates the handle panel from the side panel. Since the handlepanel is only supported along one section of its edge, the folded handlepanel has substantial freedom to pivot about the vertex, which is thepoint where the cut line ends and the edges of the handle panel and theside panel meet. Some examples of this group of article carrier blanksare U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,432,073 (handle panels 30, 31); 3,447,717 (handlepanels 12, 13, 17, 18); 2,772,020 (handle panels 44, 45); 2,977,021(handle panel 46); 3,198,380 (handle panels 24, 25); and 3,208,632(handle panels 13, 14).

The amount of displacement of a panel that is pivotally rotatedincreases as the radial distance from the vertex increases along theedge of the panel. More displacement between panels may cause moreoverlap. Additionally, the number of overlapping sections of a handlepanel and a side panel tends to increase as the edge of a handle paneland of a side panel extend further along a long, continuous contouredcut line. The group of article carrier blanks listed above is alsorepresentative of article carrier blanks with long, continuous cutlines. Article carrier blanks with shorter cut lines between the handlepanel and the side panel (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,029,977; 3,572,542;3,326,411; 6,571,941) may incur overlapping if the cut lines arecontoured such that a small angular displacement causes overlap.

In article carrier blanks where the edge of the handle panel and theedge of the side panel meet at both ends of the cut line (U.S. Pat. No.6,189,687), the panels may rotate about either vertex but will notrotate or displace as much since each end is supported. Therefore,panels that are separated by a cut line, which meet at both ends of thecut line, may not overlap unless the cut line is long and continuousand/or the cut line is highly contoured.

A heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address theaforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. What is needed is a methodto produce an article carrier blank that has a contoured cut line, whichseparates a handle panel and a side panel, and can be folded orotherwise assembled such that the panels do not overlap as the articlecarrier blank is erected to form the article carrier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The various embodiments of the present invention overcome theshortcomings of the prior art by providing a method to remove materialfrom an article carrier blank. The method is useful for article carrierblanks that have panels at least partially separated by a contoured cutline. According to one aspect of the invention, one of the panelsseparated by a contoured cut line is chosen as a trimmed panel of whichmaterial is removed.

According to another aspect of the invention, a directional line isincremented along the edge of the trimmed panel formed by the contouredcut line. The directional line is used to define a boundary line thatintersects the edge of the trimmed panel at two points. The boundaryline and a section of the edge thereby define the perimeter of the areato be removed where the section of the edge is that which lies betweenthe two points where the boundary line and the edge touch or intersect.The area defined by this perimeter is then removed.

The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the aspects and features ofthe present invention, which should be construed to be merelyillustrative of various potential applications of the invention. Otherbeneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed informationin a different manner or by combining various aspects of the disclosedembodiments. Accordingly, other aspects and a more comprehensiveunderstanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to thedetailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in addition to the scope of theinvention defined by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a section of a blank that illustrates theoverlap between two panels when a panel is displaced in a rotationaldirection.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the section of the blank of FIG. 1 thatillustrates the use of directional lines to define two points on theedge of a panel.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the section of the blank of FIG. 2 thatillustrates boundary lines that define the area where material is to beremoved from a panel.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the section of the blank of FIG. 1 withmaterial removed from the areas shown in FIG. 3 that illustrates the twopanels when a panel is displaced in a rotational direction.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the section of the blank of FIG. 2 thatillustrates alternative boundary lines that define the area wherematerial is to be removed from a panel.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the section of the blank of FIG. 1 withmaterial removed from the areas shown in FIG. 5 that illustrates the twopanels when a panel is displaced in a rotational direction.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the section of the blank of FIG. 1 thatillustrates the use of alternative directional lines and boundary linesto define two points on the edge of a panel.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a blank wherematerial has been removed according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view of an assembled but collapsed carrier formed fromthe blank of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the carrier of FIG. 9 as it ispartially erected.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the carrier of FIG. 10 that is fullyerected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein. It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merelyexamples to illustrate aspects of the invention that may be embodied invarious and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale,and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details ofparticular components. In other instances, well-known materials ormethods have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the presentinvention. Therefore, specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a basisfor the claims and for teaching one skilled in the art to variouslyemploy the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate likeelements throughout the several views, the drawings illustrate certainof the various aspects of exemplary embodiments of a method to removematerial from an article carrier blank such that the panels of the blankdo not interlock as the blank is assembled and erected to form anarticle carrier.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of a section of an article carrierblank 10. The section of the article carrier blank 10 includes a firstpanel 15 and a second panel 20 separated by a contoured cut line 25.Preferably, but not necessarily, the first panel 15 includes a handlepanel and the second panel 20 includes a side panel and one or more endpanels. The contoured cut line 25 at least partially defines a firstpanel edge 30 and a second panel edge 35 beginning at a vertex V andextending to a distal end where the panel edges 30, cease to be formedby the contoured cut line 25. Further, the edges 30, 35 are initially inan aligned or otherwise non-displaced position. In alternativeembodiments, the distal end of the contoured cut line 25, oppositevertex V, may be a point where the panels separate, similar to what isshown in FIG. 1, or may connect the two panels to form a second vertex.It should be noted that in the exemplary embodiment the contoured cutline 25 is curved such that each panel edge 30, 35 is both concave andconvex to demonstrate the versatility of the method.

In the exemplary embodiment, the article carrier blank 10 is partiallyfolded or otherwise partially assembled such that the panels 15, 20 tendto displace from the aligned position to a displaced position. In otherwords, the panels displace from the aligned position such that the paneledges 30, 35 cease to align. For example, the first panel 15 may rotateabout the vertex V or otherwise be displaced in a rotational directionD1 as illustrated in FIG. 1 by a first panel edge 40 that represents thedisplaced first panel edge 30 of the rotated first panel 15. In theexemplary displaced position, the first panel 15 and the second panel 20have overlapping sections L. It should be noted that the panels 15, 20are not limited to being displaced in a rotational direction from thealigned position. In alternative embodiments, the panels 15, 20 may bedisplaced in a linear direction from the aligned position. Further, ifthe displacement of the first panel 15 from the aligned position in therotational direction D1 is sufficiently small, the displacement of thefirst panel 15 can be approximated by displacement in a lineardirection, such as direction D3 (as shown in FIG. 5), that issubstantially tangent to the rotational direction D1.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the method defines material to be removed fromthe article carrier blank 10 so that the panels 15, 20 do not haveoverlapping sections L (shown in FIG. 1). One of the panels 15, 20 mayfirst be selected as a trimmed panel that is defined as the panel fromwhich material is to be removed. In the illustrated embodiment, thefirst panel 15 is selected as the trimmed panel although the methodcould similarly be applied if the second panel 20 is selected as thetrimmed panel.

Further, to determine or otherwise define material to be removed fromthe trimmed panel, a directional line R can be used to at leastpartially define a boundary line T as described in further detail below.The directional line R preferably, but not necessarily, extendssubstantially in the direction of displacement. In the exemplaryembodiment, the first panel 15 is displaced in the rotational directionD1 and therefore the directional line R (as shown in FIG. 2) is definedas a portion of the circumference of a circle which has a radius S and acenter point located at the vertex V. The directional line R can be usedto determine points of intersection P1, P2 by incrementally increasingthe radius S such that the directional line R is incremented over thefirst panel edge 30. Two points of intersection P1, P2 are determined tobe located on the first panel edge 30 wherever the directional line Rintersects or touches two points of the first panel edge 30 and theportion of the directional line R between those two points is disposedon the first panel 15.

As shown in FIG. 3, the boundary line T at least partially defines theperimeter of an area A to be removed. In the exemplary embodiment, theboundary line T is defined as the portion of the directional line R thatis disposed between the points of intersection P1, P2 on the first panel15. The perimeter of the area A to be removed is defined by the boundaryline T and the portion of the first panel edge 30 that lies between thepoints P1, P2.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the panels 15, 20 with the areas A (shownin FIG. 3) removed from the first panel 15 to form openings N. Further,similar to the displacement illustrated in FIG. 1, the first panel 15 isdisplaced in the rotational direction D1 such that the first panel edge30 is represented by a displaced first panel edge 40. After the areas Ahave been removed, the first panel 15 and the second panel 20 do nothave overlapping sections L (shown in FIG. 1) in the displaced position.Thus, the illustrated method removes material from a selected trimmedpanel such that there will be no interlocking or overlapping between thepanels 15, 20 of a folded blank 10 that are displaced in the directionD1. Further, one panel will not be trapped under or by another panel asthat panel is glued, assembled, or otherwise secured to form the handlesection of the article carrier.

In an alternative embodiment, the boundary line T can be defined usingthe point of intersection P1 as determined above. For example, as shownin FIG. 5, a reference line Q1 can extend between each intersectionpoint P1 and the vertex V. The boundary line T can then be defined as aline between the point P1 and a point P3 on the first panel edge 30where the boundary line T is preferably, but not necessarily,perpendicular to a respective reference line Q1. It should be noted thateach boundary line T can alternatively be defined to be substantiallyperpendicular to a reference line Q2 that extends between the vertex Vand a point P4 that is located at the distal end of the contoured cutline 25. More specifically, each boundary line T can be defined as aline between the point P1 and a point on the first panel edge 30 whereeach boundary line T extends from the point P1 toward the second panel20 in a direction that is parallel to an approximate or generaldirection D3 of displacement. As described above, the boundary line Tand the portion of the first panel edge 30 between the points P1, P3that define the boundary line T define an area A that is removed fromthe first panel 15 of the blank 10 to form openings N. The alternativeembodiments of the method approximate the material to be removed forpanels 15, 20 that are displaced in the rotational direction D1.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of the panels 15, 20 with the area A (shown inFIG. 3) removed from the first panel 15. Similar to the displacementillustrated in FIG. 1, the first panel 15 is displaced in the rotationaldirection D1 such that the first panel edge 30 is represented by adisplaced first panel edge 40. After the areas A have been removed, thefirst panel 15 and the second panel 20 do not have overlapping sectionsL (shown in FIG. 1) in the displaced position. Thus, the illustratedmethod removes material from a selected trimmed panel such that therewill be no interlocking or overlapping between the panels 15, 20 of afolded blank 10 that are displaced in the direction D1.

In another alternative embodiment, a vertical directional line R can beused to define a boundary line T for a panel 15 that is displaced in alinear direction D2. As shown in FIG. 7, the vertical directional line Ris incremented in the horizontal direction H across the first panel edge30 beginning at the vertex V. Two points of intersection P1, P2 aredetermined to be located on the first panel edge 30 wherever thedirectional line R intersects or touches two points of the first paneledge 30 and the portion of the directional line R between those twopoints is disposed on the first panel 15. The areas A to be removed aredefined and removed as described above such that there will be nointerlocking or overlapping between panels that are displaced in thedirection D2. Those skilled in the art will understand that the lineardirection D2 can be direction and the directional line R can be alteredto substantially extend in that direction without departing from thescope of the method.

FIGS. 8-11 illustrate the process of erecting an exemplary basketcarrier 200 (best shown in FIG. 11) formed from a blank 100 where theexemplary method described above has been used to remove material toform openings N′. The elements in FIGS. 8-11 that are substantiallysimilar in concept to the elements described in FIGS. 1-4 are similarlynumbered with the additional designation of a prime symbol to signifythat the similarly numbered elements may be physically different.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the exemplary article carrier blank 100 thatmay be folded or otherwise assembled to form the collapsed articlecarrier 200 as shown in FIG. 9. The blank 100 includes a handle panel15′, a side panel 20 a′, and an end panel 20 b′ where the panels 20 a′,20 b′ are hingedly connected along a fold line 21′ and are separatedfrom the handle panel 15′ by a contoured cut line 25′. The contoured cutline 25′ forms a handle panel edge 30′ and side and end panel edges 35a′, 35 b′ beginning at a vertex V′ and extending to a distal end wherethe panel edges 30′, 35 a′, 35 b′ cease to be formed by the contouredcut line 25′.

As shown in FIG. 9, the handle panel edge 30′ does not overlap, and isnot overlapped by, the side panel edge 35 a′ or the end panel edge 35 b′as the blank 100 is assembled or otherwise folded and secured to formthe collapsed article carrier 200. Thus, as the article carrier 200 iserected, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, such that as the side panel 20 a′and the end panel 20 b′ are pulled from the handle panel 15′, the handlepanel 15′ does not interfere with or otherwise damage the panels 20 a′,20 b′. The article carrier 200 is shown as partially erected in FIG. 10and fully erected in FIG. 11.

It must be emphasized the above-described embodiments are merelyexemplary illustrations of implementations set forth for a clearunderstanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations andmodifications may be made to the above-described embodiments withoutdeparting from the scope of the claims. All such modifications,combinations, and variation are included herein by the scope of thisdisclosure and the following claims.

1. A method to remove material from a carton blank to preventinterlocking of a first panel with a second panel, comprising: cutting acarton blank, wherein a contoured cut line at least partially separatessaid first panel and said second panel and allows at least one of saidpanels to be displaced in a direction of displacement along the plane ofsaid panels; and selecting one of said panels as a trimmed panel fromwhich material is to be removed; and defining at least one boundary linethat shares a first point and a second point with an edge of saidtrimmed panel; said boundary line being defined based on said directionof displacement of said at least one of said panels; defining aperimeter of an area to be removed by said boundary line and a sectionof said edge that lies between said first point and said second point,and removing at least said area from said trimmed panel.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein said boundary line is defined based on saiddirection of displacement such that said boundary line extends in ageneral direction of said displacement.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein said direction of displacement is a rotational direction aboutat least one vertex.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said boundaryline is defined to be perpendicular to a reference line extendingbetween said vertex and one of said first and second points.
 5. Themethod of claim 3, wherein said boundary line is curved;
 6. The methodof claim 5, wherein said boundary is defined as a section of thecircumference of a circle with a center point located at said vertex. 7.A method for removing material between the panels of a foldable blank,comprising: separating at least a portion of said blank with a contouredline to define a first panel and a second panel; terminating saidcontoured line at a vertex; selecting one of said first and secondpanels as a trimmed panel from which material is to be removed; defininga first line that includes a pair of first and second points on an edgeof said trimmed panel; and removing a portion of said trimmed paneldefined by said first line and a section of said edge lying between saidfirst and second points.
 8. A blank for forming a carton, comprising aside panel, an end panel and a handle panel disposed adjacent to one ofsaid side and end panels, said handle panel and said at least one panelbeing separated at least partially by a contoured cut line for definingan upper edge of said at least one panel, wherein said handle panel hasa lower edge defined in part by said contoured cut line and in part byan opening defined between said lower edge of said handle panel and saidupper edge of said at least one panel.
 9. The blank of claim 8, whereinsaid opening covers at least an area defined by a boundary line and asection of said upper edge, said boundary line extending from a firstpoint on said lower edge toward said at least one panel.
 10. The blankof claim 9, wherein said side and end panels are hingedly connectedtogether along a fold line, said first boundary line being substantiallyparallel to said fold line.
 11. The blank of claim 10, wherein said foldline defines a corner between said side and end panels when the blank iserected into a carton.
 12. The blank of claim 9, wherein said cut lineterminates at a vertex, said boundary line being substantiallyperpendicular to a reference line extending between said vertex and saidfirst point.